


Steady

by maybeithinkso



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 20:14:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12540272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maybeithinkso/pseuds/maybeithinkso
Summary: Sometimes, she makes no sense to herself.





	Steady

Severa's hands shake as she runs the whetstone across the blade. It isn't a difficult task in itself, sharpening a sword. 

She curses under her breath as the stone skitters and skips off the surface once more, almost nicking her entire finger off as it went. Feeling drained, she places the blade down and holds the whetstone tight between her hands. 

It isn't a difficult task at all, sharpening a sword. 

Or washing the dishes, for that matter. 

Or mending the patches in the tents and old clothes. 

It is, however, difficult to keep her hands steady long enough to try. Ironically (or not), wielding the very sword she just tried to sharpen is trifle. Sometimes Severa makes no sense to herself just as she undoubtedly does to others. 

(Normally this is when she would launch into her inner, self-deprecating monologue regarding Mother in some fashion, but by now she's learned that both she and Mother deserve better than that.)

She resigns to leave maintenance of her weapon to a different time and go do something she's actually good at, such as using the damned thing. Fortunately, they are in a lull in their march across the land, and there are no reports of Risen to beware; she has time to relax and brush up on herself. 

What surprises her is not the fact that there  _isn't_ the sound of others sparring, but that there is only a single person in the clearing. As it is, only one of two people could be standing in front of a completely demolished training dummy. 

Unless Chrom had decided to grow his hair out and wear two sleeves, but they all know the latter is impossible.

Severa says nothing yet, watching Lucina run a hand repeatedly through her hair in frustration. She should walk forward, make her steps noisy enough, offer to help her fix it,  _something_. Instead, Severa dumbly continues to watch as Lucina, still telling of impatience and frustration, steadily picks up the pieces of the dummy and attempts to return it to some semblance of life. 

"I think it's dead."

Lucina jumps, immediately recognizing the voice not by pitch but by sheer tone and personality. The pieces of the dummy fall to the floor again, and she doesn't dare move to save them again. 

"I, uh..."

"How many is it now? Six?" Severa asks, bemused in her peculiar mix of amusement and snideness. Affectionate snideness, Lucina would like to add — at least, based on personal experience. 

(Lucina has never experienced Severa's callousness personally, but bearing witness to their other companions' misfortunes, she would like to never.)

"I'm afraid I've lost count, to my shame."

Severa stares at the dead dummy pieces a while longer before shrugging and picking them up before Lucina could make to stop her. 

"Least it's not hard to make them. Here."

Severa deftly disassembles the pieces, separating wood from straw from burlap. Lucina watches mutely, in wonder, as the dummy is resurrected back to life. How Severa managed to make the tattered burlap look whole she'll never know. 

By the end of what was surely only a few moments, a shakily smiling training dummy stares back at her. 

"I hope this one lasts you."

Lucina couldn't ever hit a dummy that looks this nice. That and its big, hesitant smile would only make her feel guilty for hitting it. 

"Thank you, Severa. Unfortunately, I'm… not feeling quite up to beating up the dummy again."

Severa stares owlishly at her, blinking once, twice. She looks back at the dummy still in her hands. 

"Is it the face?"

"It's—"

Not far from part of the truth. 

"—well, yes. But, would you..." Lucina pauses to get her voice in order. She's asked many times before and has never been rebuffed, but it's hard nonetheless. 

"Would you like to join me? Together? Or against each other?"

Severa's head tilts  _just_  to the side, and Lucina's grip tightens on the practice sword. 

"Of course," Severa replies, as she moves to put away her live blade and take up a wooden one. 

Lucina smiles, thumbing the wooden pommel of her sword and drawing it quickly. It is always both a pleasure and an honor to spar with arguably the one person who never fails to keep up with her and then some (close to her age, at least). 

(The one person who she could never put down her blade against, until someone else had to stop them.)

"Ready?"

Severa regards her with a look that promises her a hard time and some bruises, and Lucina can't keep the smile off her face. 

 

* * *

 

By the time someone comes to get them, mainly because Severa is needed in the infirmary tent and Lucina has to brief with Father for the evening, the sun is on its way home and Lucina feels no worse for wear other than fatigue. 

An indescribable feeling of gratitude wells within her, one that she finds hard to put into words (it normally comes easy to her, thanking someone). Severa, unfailingly, knew that something ailed her and gave her an outlet for just that. 

(It was also a kind gesture that Severa pushed her to her limit as always, yet stayed clear of fatal openings and only aimed for disarming strikes. She can only imagine the weight of such a handicap.)

"You alright?"

Lucina smiles again, and Severa wonders if she picked up on the double meaning of her question. Something about Lucina always spoke of gratitude and kindness in ways other than words when she interacted with others, but this is not it. 

Maybe being the current focus of her attention is skewing her perception, but there's a reason why Lucina has gone back to playing with the sword pommel in her grasp. 

"Thank you, Severa."

Or, maybe it was a good kind of different. Lucina seems much more at ease than earlier, even if her nervous tick has returned and she can't quite seem to hold Severa's eyes for very long. 

"You should get going. The briefing will take all evening, right? Get something to eat before then."

"I—"

For an uncharacteristic number of times today, Lucina has stopped herself in her own tracks. Severa wishes she knew the reason or reasons. 

(Please go quickly. And eat something. And don't be so down anymore.)

Lucina regards her with a gentle and warm smile, and finally holds eye contact for longer than a moment. 

"I will."

And then she turns to leave, glancing back once before moving behind the treeline's sight. 

Severa lets out a breath to steady herself and looks down at her hands, pleased to see that they aren't shaking for Naga knows what reason. 

Or maybe it was the fact that she still held the practice sword. 

She wonders if Lissa would be okay with her doing chores with the sword bound in her grasp. 

 

* * *

 

The next time Severa has a moment to herself is during her shift for watch. Between picking up, moving, setting down, and helping Lissa in the infirmary, she hasn't had much time to just sit and do nothing. For a brief moment, Severa considers trying her hand at sharpening the sword across her lap, and then thinks better of it. 

It wouldn't do for her to do the Risen's work for them. 

A slight murmur of moving brush has her on alert, hand tense and poised over her sword handle. There had been no wind today. 

"Who goes!"

Severa can feel her shoulders relax considerably when the culprit comes into fire light, and sits down after realizing she'd shot to her feet. There aren't many things in this world less threatening than the sheepish look on Lucina's face. 

"My apologies, Severa. I did not mean to alarm you."

"The fact that you did means I'm doing  _something_  right," Severa replies, waving a hand. "So? What are you doing up so late?"

She's a little bugged that Lucina doesn't seem to hear her question. 

"What do you mean, 'doing something right'? You do many things well."

She's a little bugged that Lucina asked such a question. Only a little, because this is Lucina, and she's too tired to be upset. 

"Less than you think."

"I think very highly of you."

She is  _very_  tired. Lucina's ability to be literal is endearing at times, but not when trying her patience. 

"Lucina, please. If you aren't up and about for pressing matters, please return to bed so I can finish my watch without incident."

The dim fire light does nothing to hide the wink of Lucina's brand and her gentle, resolute gaze.

"Do you wish to talk about it?"

Yes. 

"No.”

But not to anyone who could listen and give their honest opinion — certainly not Lucina, who is the best at doing just that. 

"Very well."

Severa nearly launches her sword into the fire pit when Lucina comes to sit beside her. 

"You don't have watch today."

"No, but I would like to keep you company nonetheless. Unless you are opposed?"

She is, but isn't. A big part of her knows Lucina will regret this come morning and hide her fatigue as always, but the small remains of her would appreciate the company. Severa heaves a sigh and leans back on her hands. 

"As you wish, then. Just don't look at me when you're sleep-deprived and grumpy in the morning."

Lucina only gives a light chuckle.

Long moments pass around and between them, and Severa only grows concerned in the comfortable silence when Lucina lets out a small sigh. It's the kind of sigh that someone does when they want to let everything go in one big breath, but settles for less to avoid attention — not very liberating at all. 

(She would know because her mother lets out that kind of sigh all day, and where do they leave her? Unsatisfied and sighing all the more.)

"You know the same goes for you, right?" Severa asks quietly, regarding Lucina's countenance with muted worry. 

"Pardon?"

"If you want to talk to someone. Whether you need someone to listen or a wall to yell at, I can do either."

"Th—," Lucina looks over only to immediately look back into the dying fire when their eyes meet. "Thank you, Severa."

How strange. Lucina has been strange lately. Perhaps it would be best if she does enforce that Lucina return to bed. 

"Of course," is Severa's reply. "It really is getting late, though. You should get some sleep."

Lucina's expression is part grateful and part in awe, and Severa is not sure why. 

"Yes, I should do that. Goodnight, Severa."

"'Night. Sleep well."

Severa thinks about the gentle, at-peace smile Lucina parted with for the rest of her watch. She did good, and pats herself on the back. 

 

* * *

 

By now, Severa has given up trying to do menial tasks around camp. She doesn't even trust herself to sharpen her own blade, and leaves the nitpicking and inventory to her mother. 

(That is a different minefield that she will not walk into today, but she's working on it. They both are.)

At least she can do some good helping Lissa. It seems the only time Severa's hands cooperate is when someone's life is concerned, a strange requirement that she and Lissa both had a good (awkward) laugh over. 

And then the idiot duo walks under the tent flap. 

(She means idiot in the least caustic and insulting way, almost synonymous with  _doing their best to be leaders because no one else can or will and are more like puppies seeking validation but also have stubborn self-sacrificing noble streaks as long as all the Halidom itself so you can't help but concernedly watch over them_. Almost.)

"I don't even want to know, but I can guess," Severa deadpans as Lissa's rapid-fire concerns fuss at them.

Lucina only gives a nervous, sheepish smile, her attempts to laugh it off failing as she's settled onto one of the cots. 

"My apologies—"

"Don't. This isn't something to apologize for, stupid. Injuries happen all the time.” Severa pauses for a moment, before adding, “And you could never inconvenience me."

She's not sure if Lucina's flinch was because of her words or because of the wet cloth pressed to the injury diagonally spanning her collarbone, but the former would have her reconsider her word choice. 

(She really did mean the  _stupid_ , though.)

Lucina tilts her head away to give Severa better access, wincing as she does so. 

"Stop moving if it hurts, gods. I'm fine, and you're not."

Severa notes with some measure of satisfaction that, for once, Lucina seems to have been cowed into obeying. 

"I know I said I could probably guess, but looking at this wound, I actually can't. How did this happen? Your stance normally guards this area."

"I..." Lucina trails off as she considers her words. Severa catches her eyes for a brief moment, long enough to raise an inquisitive brow, before Lucina's face lights up a bright red. 

"It's embarrassing."

"Do I need to ask Chrom?"

"N-no!"

They both wince, Lucina because of the sudden movement in her haste, and Severa because she anticipated that happening from a mile away. 

"Stop moving! But really, what happened?"

Lucina fiddles with the tail of her tunic. Severa tries not to pay too much attention to how much Lucina's hands shake, for her sake.

"I, um... tried to see how well your stance might... fit my style."

A beat. 

"You do know I wear a shield, right?"

"It might have occurred to me after the fact, yes..."

Severa resists the urge to palm her face, only because her hands are occupied with applying salve to the wound. And also because she needs a certain level of concentration to ensure that the salve meets skin with the correct quantity, but not with enough pressure that her fingers touch the wound. 

Finished with the main culprit, Severa quickly scans the rest of her patient to find any other injuries; Lucina has a keen knack for hiding injuries because she considers them inconvenient for others. The leftover salve on her fingers goes to the scratch on her cheekbone, the graze on her forearm, and the backs of her fingers. 

"Not only did you lack a shield, but you also didn't wear gauntlets, did you?"

The marks on the back of Lucina's 'shield' hand and fingers are telltale of using backhand deflects, which normally work best with protected hands and arms. 

"I should have known you would deduce my manner of foolishness very quickly."

Severa doesn't even need to see or think twice — she knows Lucina is berating herself, convincing herself of things that are simply not true. She holds onto Lucina's hand a little tighter, willing it to stop shaking so that Lucina could stop doing that thing where she spirals endlessly in self-deprecation. 

"It is a bit foolish, I'll admit, not wearing the proper equipment that a combat style asks for. But at the same time, if I suddenly found myself without a shield, the battlefield is not the place to be figuring out how to make do without one."

Severa gives what she hopes is a reassuring smile, making sure she catches and holds Lucina's gaze before continuing. 

"So really, you've just brought to my attention to learn how to fight how I do without a shield. Though I'd appreciate it if this weren't the toll for such ideas."

Lucina looks like she might cry at any moment now, her face flushed and wide-eyed stunned. 

"Lucina? You oka—"

"Gods, I love you."

Severa freezes, and Lucina belatedly realizes what she had just said. Her breath comes short and with difficulty, like the confession stole all of it away. It's much too late to retract her declaration, and though it was no less than the truth, she should have kept silent. No doubt Severa would—

"Okay, you stop right there."

"Wh-wha—?"

"For one, I can hear you beating yourself up. Second of all, do you want to do this somewhere else? Because, y'know," Severa angles herself so that both Chrom and Lissa, frozen in their bickering, could be seen, and waves in their general direction. "They're still here."

"Oh."

Time seems to have unfroze for the two, and they leave in a flurry of limbs and hurried stutters — it was really just Lissa carting away Chrom's giant, uncooperative body, though. 

(Should she maybe have volunteered to help?)

Severa takes a moment to recompose herself before turning back to Lucina, noting that she's still quite dazed and far-off. Unable to help the slightly exasperated smile, Severa gently runs her thumb across Lucina's cheek. 

"Hey. You there?"

Lucina's eyes focus and return to her immediately, and her face flares bright red again. There's something absolutely endearing in the way that Lucina doesn't even try to hold in the wide smile that blooms across her face. Severa finds that she prefers Lucina like this the most.

"H-hello."

Her hand by Lucina's cheek is covered by one of Lucina's own, and Severa notes that the hand is shaking. A realization hits her, and makes her smile all the more. 

Lucina marvels in the way Severa's expression grows brighter. She wonders what kind of expression Severa would reveal when she confesses, tells Severa that her hands shake and she has difficulty containing her nervous (happy) energy just at the sight, at a single glance of her. 

Severa is very, very clever, though. Lucina has a feeling she already knows. 

 

* * *

 

The whetstone skitters off the blade again, and Severa drops both for fear of actually doing the deed of slicing her finger. Mother had already demonstrated the correct hold for sharpening swords, but it was hard to get her hands to comply. 

"Might I suggest a different strategy?"

"Geh," Severa jumps in her seat as Lucina kneels in front of her. "Don't sneak up like that, I might have swung at you if I were holding it properly!"

"My apologies."

The blatantly cheeky half-grin on Lucina's face tells her otherwise. 

"The way Father taught me is a bit... unorthodox, but you might find it helpful."

Lucina gently moves Severa's fingers and grip accordingly, and Severa already feels strange just from the posture. Taking the leap of faith, she runs the whetstone down the blade's length experimentally, amazed when it doesn't stray. 

"Huh."

Severa smiles gratefully at Lucina, and it takes Lucina all her willpower to contain herself. 

(This energy can be used productively. This energy can be used productively. Thi...)

"Thanks. Now shoo, I know you have another briefing this evening."

Lucina nods and rises to her feet, but not before caving and pressing a quick kiss to Severa's cheek.

Severa chases her retreating (and laughing, the nerve of her!) form with a few choice words, and then looks down to regard the sword in her hands. Suspicious, she attempts to sharpen the blade as Lucina showed her and scowls when the result is familiar. 

They have a long journey ahead of them. 

**Author's Note:**

> but at least their relationship is... steady  
> badumtss


End file.
